The invention concerns a device for opening a lock. This device has a dual function. First, it serves for opening the lock, for which purpose a handle is hinged in a shell-like support, which is located in an opening of the exterior cladding of the body of the vehicle. This shell-like support will be referred to here simply as the “support shell”. The handle acts on the lock.
The additional function of the device is to acquire images of the area outside the vehicle. The camera used for this purpose is mounted on the rear wall of the support shell. When the camera is deactivated, the handle is in its closed position, in which it closes the shell opening of the support shell. When the camera is to be activated, the handle is moved into an open position.
DE 10 2004 050 297 A1 discloses a device of this type. In this case, the camera is mounted in a stationary way in the rear wall of the support shell. When the camera is active, the shell opening and the handle, which is in the open position, obstruct the field of view, so that the external area of the vehicle is not adequately acquired.
EP 1 529 688 A1 discloses a device of a different type, in which the camera is nonrotatably mounted on the rear side of a hinged protective element. When the protective element moves on its hinge, the camera swivels along with it. The use of a camera that swivels together with a protective element in this way in a device for opening a lock by means of a handle is difficult and has the disadvantage that during opening movements of the lock, the camera also runs out and can become soiled or damaged. In addition, the simultaneously moving camera increases the weight of the protective element, which means that greater torques are required to swing it out on its hinge.